The purpose of a resume is to provide a synopsis of you skills and work experience, in order to entice the reader to choose you over a multitude of other applicants. For that reason, you must never reference the fact that you were fired or laid off on your resume. You must also avoid bringing it up in the cover letter.

If your resume is chronological, listing your work experience in order, all you need is to be accurate with your start and end dates. If you have a spotty work history, or more than one recent firing, you probably want to skip the dates altogether, using a functional resume, that groups your accomplishments by type. In US industries and corporations, there is no standard expectation to indicate your reason for leaving a position on the resume.

If you are required to submit an application with your resume, the form may request the reason for leaving your job. Or you may have a specific request from the employer to provide that information on your resume. Do not lie. Do not attempt to fudge it. But do not use the term "fired". The appropriate answer is to indicate "terminated", with no explanation. The word, while true, is a little more ambiguous, giving you a better chance to be selected for an interview. It is also a less negative term.

People are fired for many reasons. Some of those are justifiable on the employer's part. Some are not. The time to discuss your firing is in the interview. When I used to interview, I always asked the standard question, "Why did you leave your last job?" when I spotted an end date on the most current job on the resume. Often, if the person was fired, I knew it prior to the interview, because I worked in an industry that networks extensively. Sometimes I knew the reason. If I was still still interested in your skills, I would be looking for an honest answer and your side of the story. Then it was up to me to decide whether to take a chance. It helps, if you were the cause, to explain why you erred and what steps you have taken to ensure you won't do it again if you are hired. It does not help to speak ill of the firing company.

Of course, the interviewer may not ask you why you left. In that case, you do not have to bring the subject up. But in my opinion, it's better to let them know that you and your employer had a disagreement that led to your departure. Otherwise, your new employer may eventually find out and you'll be in a more awkward situation, with your integrity under question.

The trick to getting a job offer is to get your foot in the door and speak to a real person in an interview. You will not get that far by advertising your firing to the potential employer.

Learn more about this author, Liz McGuire.
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